Disk-wheel for vehicles



T. l. DUFFY.

DISK WHEEL FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION men Nov. l5. 1919.

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T. l. DUFFY.

DISK WHEEL FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION m2o Nov. l5, 1919.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS I. DUFFY, 0F CHICAGO, IILINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY DmECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 NELS GROSS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DISK-WHEEL FOB VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 15, 1919. Serial No. 338,335.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THoMAs I. DUFFY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and use ful improvements in Disk-Wheels for Vehicles, of which the following is a specification, reference beingv had to the accompanyingr drawings, formlng a part thereof.

he purpose of this invention is to rovide a disk wheel for vehicles which s all be economical to manufacture and so designed that it can be readily substituted for existing) wooden wheels, utilizing the original hu s and hub fianges without alteration. It consists in the features and elements of construction and their combination hereinafter described and shown in the drawings as indicated by the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a artial side elevation of a disk wheel embo ying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a radial section-on a lar er scale taken as indicated at line, 22, on ig. 1.

Fi 3 is a'diametral section of the rim and isk of the wheel indicating their relation before assemblin Fig. 4 is a parta radial section taken similarly to Fig. 2 but illustrating a modified form.

Fig. 5 is a partial transaxial section illustrating the mounting member shown in `a metallic disk, 2, formed with a eripheral Han e, 3, by which it is permanent y secured to t e rim, 1, either b riveting, bolting or b ,spot-welding, as in icated at 4 on Fig. 2. Piincipally for the sake of appearance, the disk, 2, has a portion, 5, immediately adjacent its flange, 3, and substantially perpendicular thereto, givin somewhat the appearance of the usual fe ly of the conventional artillery wheel. Extending inwardly from this annular portion, 5, the disk, 2, is dished and 1s formedwith a central aperture enclrcled by a flange, 6.

As one o f the objects of this invention is to adapt a dlsk wheel of this type to be substltuted for the original spokes and rim of a wooden wheel without alteration of the ori mal hub or hub flanges, the aperture within the flange, 6, of the disk, 2, is made lar er than e1t er the integral flange, 7, or the s ip flange, 8, of the hub, 9, and the disk is carr1ed on the hub by means of a mounting member, 10. As shown in Fig. 2 the mountmg member is formed of rather heavy sheet metal and comprises an inner annular portion, 11, and an outer annular portion, 12, offset from each other by approximately the width of the original wheel spokes normally clamped between the hub flan es, 7 and 8. These annular portions, 11 an 12, are connected by a flange, 13, which forms a seat for the wheel disk, 2, fitting snugly Within the flange, 6, thereof. The inner annular portion, 11, of the mounting member, 10, is centrally apertured to fit snugly upon the cylindrical portion of the hub, 9, and a filler ring, 14, which may be of wood, as shown, is fitted snugly within the flange ortion, 13, of the mounting member and ored out to the size of the central4 aperture in the annular part, 11, so as to fit snugly on hub, 9, and space apart the hub fianges, 7 and 8, by substantially the same distance as they would be spaced apart b the original spokes. The part, 11, and ller ring, 14, are both apertured to accommodate the clamping bolts, 15, connecting hub (ian es, 7 and 8, and the wheel disk, 2, is remova ly secured to the mounting member, 10 by a plurality of threaded studs, 16, set 1n the outer annular portion, 12, and projecting toward the outer face of the wheel,-that is, the side of the wheel away from the vehicle. The studs, 16, are provided with nuts, 17, and lock washers, 18, and preferably the studs themselves are permanently fixed in the mounting member by rivetin over at he back side thereof, as indicate at 19 on ith this construction it will be seen that removal of the Wheel consisting of the rim, 1, and disk, 2, may be readily accom lished by merely removing the nuts, 1 and Patented Jan. 18, 1921. i

Ahub and without sacrificin identifying hub cap. In t e event of a Vcurement of the mounting member, 10, be-

tween the hub flanges or removing such ornamental cap (not shown) as may be provided as a terminal member at the outer end of the hub. Such hub caps are usually desi ned to be distinctive of the make of ve icle and thusrepresent considerable advertising value, but since the hub cap never exceeds in diameter the hub flanges by which the original Wooden spokes are carried, it is evident that wooden wheels may be converted into disk wheels in accordance with this invention without alteration of the original the original punctured tire the disk, 2, and rim, l, carrying the tire can be readily removed and replaced with a spare wheel of like construction and carrying a perfect tire with very little delay.

To insure a close fitting, strong joint between the web disk, 2, and the rim, 1, the disk which is of sheet metal pressed into shape may be initially formed with its flange, 3, somewhat flaring as shown in Fig. 3 so that entry of the disk into the rim, 1, by the application of sufficient force causes the flange, 3, to be bent up rather more sharply from the web and may also cause some stretching of the rim, 1, though such stretching is preferably entirely within the limits of elasticity so that the parts be rcsiliently held in close contact in addition to their permanent securement by welding or otherwise, as already suggested.

4illustrates a modified form of mounting member 20, which would preferably be made as a casting of metal, and would thus include the filler or spacing member as a unitary part of its structure. In Fig. 4 this .form of mounting member is shown as applied to a hub, 21, having its fixed or integral flange,22, at the outer side and the sli fiange, 23, at the inner side; frequently t is slip flange, 23, is simply the web of the brake drum if the hub is a rear, wheel hub. This construction brings the fillet, 24, nearer the cuter end of the hub and adjacent the flange, 22, and therefore in this case the inner annular'portion,25, and outer annular portion,26,

' of the mounting member, 20, are shown as in substantially the same `plane adjacent the inner flange, 23, of the hub. Projecting outwardly fromthe plane of these portions of the member, is an .annular flange, 27, more fully shown in Fig. 5, and serving as a seat for the flange, 6, of the wheel disk, 2. The disk is removably attached to the outer annular portion, 26, by threaded studs, 16, provided with nuts, 17, and lock washers, 18, as in the form shown in Fig. 2. The inner annular portion, 25, is bored to fit snugly on the cylindrical part of the hub, 21, and

thus transmit the load from the hub to the wheel. At intervals within the flange, 27, there are formed spacing lugs or bosses, 28, apertured at 29 with clearance for the clam ing bolts, 15, by which the mounting mem er, 20, is secured between the flanges, 22 and 23, and which may be relied upon for transmission of torque if the frictional engagement of said flanges with the mounting member, 20, should prove insufiicient for this purpose.

Fig. 6 shows a further modification in which the mounting member is uite similar to the member, 10, shown in lig. 2, but is applied to a hub, 21, similar to that shown 1n 1g. 4. Therefore to avoid engagement with the fillet, 24, adjacent the outer flange. 22, of this hub, the inner annular portion, 31, is formed with a central aperture considerably larger than the cylindrical part o t the hub, 21, and the filler ring, 32, relied upon for centrally seating the mounting member upon the hub itself. The slip flange, 23, is clearly indicated as the web of the brake drum, 33, and the outer annular portion, 34, of the mounting member extends in contact therewith.

The three forms of mounting member changing the specific design of the mounting member a wheel of this type can be readily adapted to various designs of hub so as to replace the original wooden spokes without the necessity of any alteration 1n the hubs themselves or in the disk and rim portions of the wheel. For a given external diameter, the disk 2, need only be made in one form and always with the same size opening within its flange, 6; the flange or shoulder of the mounting member will in every case fit snugly within the flange, 6, of the disk, 2, while in other respects the mounting member will be designed to accommodate itself to the particular hub for which it is intended. It is thus in the nature of an adapter for fitting the disk wheel to various styles of hubs.

As a modification of the rim design, Fig. 7 presents a two-part rim in which the portion, 40, is provided with a single lateral tire-retaining flange, 41, while the other tire-retaining flange, 42, is formed on a separate element of annular form having a portion, 43, which extends obliquely from the retaining flange, 41, into contact with the web, 2, ofV the wheel. Said web is shaped substantially as shown in Fig. 2 with a flange, 44, permanently secured to the rim member, 40, but in the angle between the flange, 44, and the annular portion, 45, of the web cured a block, 46, bored and threaded to receive a clamp screw, 47, extending through an aperture in the oblique portion, 43, of the there is welded or otherwise serim member. By providing a plurality of such screws, 47, and either -a lurality of blocks, 46, or forming such bloc in a continuous ung suitabl secured lin the an le of the disk and its fiange, 44, lthe se ara le rim member can be drawni'nto p ace or readily removed to permit removal of a tire. The oblique arrangement of the annular part, 43, serves to stiffen the connection between the rim and the disk and gives the disk a broader footing on the rim. f

As suggested in Fig. 2 when the spacing member is in the form of a wooden ring, 14, it may be made slightly lar er than the adjacent hub flan e so as to eave exposed at the inner side o the wheel an area of wood sufficient for insertion of screws to hold the s eedometer driving gear shown in dotted l1nes at 50. Such screws are indicated at 51 and will thus engage the member, 14, in the same manner as the formerly engaged the orilginal spokes of t e wheel.

ig. 8 shows a construction very similar to that of Fig. 2 but in this instance the outer flange is entirely dispensed with since the ir innular portion, 60, of the mounting member will serve all the requirements. Obviously it may be desirable to make the filler ring, 62, slightly thicker than the ring, 14, so that the parts will occupy substantially the same portion of the hub, 9, as the ori mal spokes and flan e. This will slightly increase the width o the flange portion as shown at 61, but otherwise the structure will be exactly similar to that of Fi 2 and corresponding references are app ied to it in Fi 8.

Fie. 9 Shows a further modification in which the outer annular portion of the mounting member is dispensed with entirely and the disk, 2*, is shown as fastened to the mountin member by studs, 64, secured in the annu ar part, 63, and passing through a transaxial flange, 65, extending from the seating flange, 66, of the disk. As in the other forms, the flange, 66, seats snu ly over the flange, 67,. of the mounting memer, and said mounting member is apertured at the center to fit snugly on the cylindrical part of the hub, 9, beiner secured in position by bolts, 68, passing through a filler ring, 62, and the hub flange, 7.

1. In a vehicle wheel, in coinbinaton with a hub having a pair of flanges adapted to cooperate as clamping means, an annular mounting member having its inner circumferential margin clamped between said flanges, and formed with an annular shoulder slightly greater in diameter than the outer of said flanges; an annular disk having at its outer circumference an annular laterally-projecting flange for seating the tire-carrying rim, said disk seating at its inner circumference upon said shoulder of the `mounting member, and secured to said mounting member roximate to said seat.

2. In a vehicle w eel, in combination with a hub having a pair of flanges adapted to cooperate as clamping means, an annular mounting member having its inner circumferential margin clamped between said flanges and formed with an annular shoulder sli htly reater in diameter than the outer o? said anges; an annular disk adapted to be secured at its outer circumference to a tire-seating rim, and having at its inner circumference a laterally-projecting flan e, dimensioned to fit snugly upon the shoulger of the mounting member, and secured to said mounting member proximate to said seat.

3. In the construction defined in claim 2 foregoing, a disk having at its outer circumference a laterally projecting flange for seating the tire-holding rim, said flange being projected from the disk in the opposite direction from the flange at the innerv circumference, whereby said disk is rendered Z-sha ed in radial section.

4. n the construction defined in claim l2, foregoing, the disk having at its outer circumference a flange projecting laterally :in the direction opposite to the projection of the flange at its inner circumference, for affording a seat for the tire-carrying rim at the outercircumference of said disk, the two flanges of said disk at its inner and outer circumferences respectively, being both contained btween the. two planes transverse t0 the axis of the wheel which are spaced apart by the width of the wider of said anges; whereby said disk is dished between its two flanges for transmitting the'radial stress of the load.

5. In the construction defined in claim 2 foregoing, the mounting member being extended in the plane of rotation radially outward from the shoulder mentioned for lapping the inner circumferential margin of the disk, and the securement of the disk to th'e mounting member being at such lapped portion.

6. In a vehicle wheel in combination with a hub having a pair of flanges adapted to coperate as clamping means; a mounting member in the form of a sheet metal ring having inner and outer annular portions respectively offset from each other forming an intervening shoulder; an annular disk dimensioned as to its central aperture for seating snu ly upon said shoulder of the mounting isk, and adapted at its outer circumference for securement to a tire-carrying rim, and an annular spacing member which fits snugly within the portion of the mounting member which forms said shoulder and against the inner annular portion of said mounting member; said inner lannular portion and the spacing member being clamped between the flanges of the hub.

7. In the construction defined in claim 6 foregoing, the spacing member being of greater iameter than the hub Harige which engages it directly, as and for the purpose 5 specified.

8. A disk wheel for Vehicles comprising an annular rim member` and a peripherally anged disk initially formed with a flange flaring more Widely than could be accom- 10 modated within the rim, said disk being THOMAS I. DUFFY. 

